1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the attachment of forming rolls and the like to seaming machines, for seaming metal panels, and the like. The invention is particularly applicable to seaming machines and is particularly useful for the attachment of metal forming rolls to shafts of a seaming machine.
2. Background and Prior Art
Various types of connectors are known in the art for attaching roll formers to seaming machines. These known connectors, however, have a number of deficiencies and specific features that make them undesirable in certain situations.
In known seaming machines, two corrugated panels are typically seamed together with roll formers that are passed along a seam for seaming. After the seamer completes one pass across a seam from a first side to a second side of the panel, the user has one of two options. First, the seamer can be carried back to the first side proximate the beginning of the previous seam and a second seam can be started; or second, the roll former can be switched on the seaming machine and the new seam can be seamed in the opposite direction from the previous seam, i.e., starting from the second side of the panels. When the seamer operator reaches the end of the second seam, the rolls can then be switched again, preparing the seamer for another pass.
Although switching the seamer rolls takes some time, switching the seamer rolls can still save time, and thus be advantageous, by allowing the operator to seam in both directions of the building. Otherwise, the operator has to carry the seamer to the opposite side of the building to continue seaming. The problem with the latter option is that the operator must physically carry the seamer back to the other side of the building. This reduces efficiency, wastes time and unduly burdens the operator.